The new La Liga campaign felt like it was really underway at the weekend with Barcelona and Athletico Madrid both making impressing season debuts with stars at different ends of the age barrier.
Although 34 this coming January, Luis Suarez impressively looked close to his ideal fighting weight on Sunday with his stellar contribution to Atletico’s stupendous 6-1 win over Granada being a resounding slap in the faces of those at Barcelona who had written him off as a has-been.
The feisty and still-in-form Uruguayan striker set up Marcos Llorente for a goal with his first touch. He then scored twice, first from a Llorente cross and then again after having first hit the post, prompting one prominent Monday columnist to quip:
“If Lionel Messi had been asked to sign for Atletico Madrid at 6pm local time, he would not have hesitated”.
Barca did fine too over the weekend without Suarez but appear to have foolishly and prematurely gifted a world class striker still in fine form to one of their main title rivals.
At the other end of the age scale, Ansu Fati, though not even 18 yet, came through with a superb performance over the weekend with a fine brace as Barca comfortably whupped Villareal 4-0. The youngster has already scored nine goals in the first division in Spain. The all-time record is held by Athletic Bilbao forward Irargorri who scored 11 before he turned 18.
It certainly looks like Fati is well on the way to beating that with his innate ability to find space and his equally impressive talent to finish.
Second seasons are often harder but it looks as if the fact that defenders know what’s coming is not going to help them stop the young Spain international.
So regardless of whether it’s Suarez going on 34 or Fati yet to be 18, both are proving that age is merely a number with their stellar performances this weekend.